A few football thoughts....

[HoopsDawg]

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

3. Leach can commit to a couple of more draws and traps per game but as long as our splits are so wide, it won't matter. Physical run blocking is part scheme and part mentality that is difficult to achieve in the Air Raid.

4. FYI: If anyone wants to know what the "perfect scheme" for MSU football is, watch the Baltimore Ravens. Mobile QB, Power running game, multiple formations (2 TE's, FB, Pistol, etc.) and play-action, downfield passing game. I go back to the greatest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherrill, at "MSU we need to play physical football, bring your lunch pale" We aren't going to win track meets with the elite recruiting programs over time.

[Liverpooldawg]

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

3. Leach can commit to a couple of more draws and traps per game but as long as our splits are so wide, it won't matter. Physical run blocking is part scheme and part mentality that is difficult to achieve in the Air Raid.

4. FYI: If anyone wants to know what the "perfect scheme" for MSU football is, watch the Baltimore Ravens. Mobile QB, Power running game, multiple formations (2 TE's, FB, Pistol, etc.) and play-action, downfield passing game. I go back to the greatest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherrill, at "MSU we need to play physical football, bring your lunch pale" We aren't going to win track meets with the elite recruiting programs over time.

YEP

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Apparently, Cohen didn't consult with Jackie on this one. **

But I agree also with what HoopsDawg is saying.

[DownwardDawg]

I agree with #4 100%!!!!
A nice mix of JWS and Mullen's offense.

[Coach34]

Well Sir you just dont know what you are talking about because Year 3 for Leach in any program is awesome!!!

This is by far his best roster at State and he has his QB who is going to be for the Heisman come December!!!!`

We were a kicker away from 9-3 last year and we are now better!!! Stop being a Leach hater!!!!!!!!!!

[PGHBulldogBG]

There is no doubt the OL is a concern and the reason I can?t get on board with these 10 win predictions some are making. That being said, our defense is going to be very good and is going to be the main reason I?m on board with us winning 8. 7 or 8 wins is most likely but one of those wins to be Ole Miss

[PikeDawg15]

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

3. Leach can commit to a couple of more draws and traps per game but as long as our splits are so wide, it won't matter. Physical run blocking is part scheme and part mentality that is difficult to achieve in the Air Raid.

4. FYI: If anyone wants to know what the "perfect scheme" for MSU football is, watch the Baltimore Ravens. Mobile QB, Power running game, multiple formations (2 TE's, FB, Pistol, etc.) and play-action, downfield passing game. I go back to the greatest coach in MSU history, Jackie Sherrill, at "MSU we need to play physical football, bring your lunch pale" We aren't going to win track meets with the elite recruiting programs over time.

oh yeah, Kentucky REALLY knew how to defend against the air raid last season. Kentucky really did lock down MSU. They beat the hell out of us didnt they.

Arkansas really locked down the air raid in a game where the special teams played like a middle school 1A team and if traylon burkes doesnt flop like lebron james state wouldve still won the game


59 points total in those games not counting missed field goals and dropped passes. Kentucky and arkansas sure did lock us up.

[PikeDawg15]

There is no doubt the OL is a concern and the reason I can?t get on board with these 10 win predictions some are making. That being said, our defense is going to be very good and is going to be the main reason I?m on board with us winning 8. 7 or 8 wins is most likely but one of those wins to be Ole Miss

8-4 with losses to alabama georgia A$M, and one of LSU/Ole Miss would be what im thinking. ( I want to say we upset georgia but I just cant put money on that lol)

[PMDawg]

Well Sir you just dont know what you are talking about because Year 3 for Leach in any program is awesome!!!

This is by far his best roster at State and he has his QB who is going to be for the Heisman come December!!!!`

We were a kicker away from 9-3 last year and we are now better!!! Stop being a Leach hater!!!!!!!!!!

You've set your dominoes up all summer. It's almost time to see which way they fall. I'm ready to observe.

[Coach34]

You've set your dominoes up all summer. It's almost time to see which way they fall. I'm ready to observe.

I find this year very interesting

On the positive:

Veteran QB with veteran OL
3rd year under Leach
Solid WR group
Good RB's
Very good DL
Good LB's
Good Secondary
Defense should be top notch
Veteran teams at State usually rack up wins

Negatives?

Air Raid in Red Zone
Looked terrible in rain games
Georgia on the schedule
Leach's history of losing in a wtf fashion

Ready to see how it turns out

[Maroonthirteen]

The things I worry about is the OL and speed in the defensive front and our DBs.

Rogers gets the ball out so fast. Hopefully that will mask any OL weakness.
Liberty Bowl. Memphis
RT KJones. RT KJones
RG Dollar Bill. RG. Smith or Reese???
C Sharp. C. Sharp
LG. Smith. LG N Jones
LT N Jones. LT. Dollar Bill

LB: after watching the Liberybowl, we need more speed there. I assume we will go with the same guys though as that is our only options. Wheat, Jett, Watson,

The schedule .... it's going to be a roller coaster ride. (I'll need to remind myself.). 3-1 maybe 4-0 to start. Then hopefully 2-2 in October. Then hopefully 3-1 in November.

[Maverick91]

Yawn? same old same old. I?ve gone back watched a few of our games last year. It?s stupid how close we were to being a 10 win team last year. Errors occurred that should never happen. Inexperience and lack of concentration hurt us a lot. Ie ( green not breaking down on LSUs first touchdown, marks and griffin dropping touchdowns in the egg, the entire Memphis game) to say a few. We beat Kentucky well last year, arky we won aswell. don?t know why people keep forgetting that the 4th down pass to keep their drive going was not a penalty. We won that game outright (thanks refs).

I?ll give you the oline. But we have to remember the scheme for our oline is so different from what has ever been ran at State.

[MaroonFlounder]

I find this year very interesting

On the positive:


Good RB's


Negatives?

Air Raid in Red Zone

This right here is what will make or break the season.

You would think that the positive would fix the negative, but only if Leach went to the restroom once his offense gets into the redzone....and a Jackie Sherrill staff came in to handle redzone opportunities.

We can't settle for FGs while our opponents are getting TDs.

[MaroonFlounder]

I?ll give you the oline. But we have to remember the scheme for our oline is so different from what has ever been ran at State.

An Air Raid O-Line gets manhandled in the redzone. Defense has to cover less space and can cheat the LBs up to the LOS. Our running game is NOT a power scheme. Our RBs are receivers first, run second. Do we even hand off in practices? IDK because I have never seen a Leach team in practice.

[HoopsDawg]

Yawn? same old same old. I?ve gone back watched a few of our games last year. It?s stupid how close we were to being a 10 win team last year. Errors occurred that should never happen. Inexperience and lack of concentration hurt us a lot. Ie ( green not breaking down on LSUs first touchdown, marks and griffin dropping touchdowns in the egg, the entire Memphis game) to say a few. We beat Kentucky well last year, arky we won aswell. don?t know why people keep forgetting that the 4th down pass to keep their drive going was not a penalty. We won that game outright (thanks refs).

I?ll give you the oline. But we have to remember the scheme for our oline is so different from what has ever been ran at State.

We had the 2 greatest comebacks in school history to win 2 of our games. You can't play the what if game.

[Maroonthirteen]

Yeah. I'd love to believe the ...dumb luck here and there cost of games theory.... but the flaw with that theory, there is no guarantee we won't have bad luck here or there this year. The key is to be very good. So you score in the red zone and don't rely on kickers. Also to be in a position where you don't need a call to win. Or one call loses you the game.

Anyways, I'll be there, bell in hand. But I'm nervous.

[Maverick91]

Lol same! And agreed it would be nice to be able to trust a running game against most of your games. But I wonder if the comfort level with our passing attack will make up for that?

[Maverick91]

I?m not what iffing. Just facts.

[Johnson85]

1. Can our 5 block 3 this year in the SEC? I think some message board posters with their wool have forgotten how bad our scheme was before Charles Cross started playing like an NFL LT last year. Cross is gone. We are going to have issues. Maybe not as bad as the bowl game without Cross, but look back to the 2020 season.

2. When teams can drop 8 AND don't have to spy on the QB, that makes it really tough on the offense. I don't see us beating UK or Arkansas this year. They know how to defend Leach. Prediction: 6-6, low tier bowl.

We scored as much on UK as any SEC team not named Vandy or Auburn last year. They don't know how to defend leach anymore than anybody else that can't get QB pressure with 3 rushers. If our OL can be OK, we are going to have a good year. It's very questionable whether they're going to be OK, but we don't have to worry about defenses having the air raid figured out.

Leach's system is good because if we can block, we can beat much more talented teams. Leach's system is bad because if we come up against an edge rusher we can't block, he doesn't have a good answer.

[HancockCountyDog]

I agree in premise a lot of what you said, but I just really think that our defense will be just as good, if not better than last year.

I think the offense just has to be better. It was not good at times last year. I just think another year will really help Will and I think we win several more close games this year.

Now, I am assuming that Leach will incorporate more runs this year. Of course I'm just choosing to ignore his history and believe what I want to believe.